


A Future to Hold

by Katyakora



Series: Killerwave Week [5]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Kidfic, KillerWaveWeek2016, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2016-06-09
Packaged: 2018-07-13 02:42:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7135280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katyakora/pseuds/Katyakora
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Pilgrim couldn't find any collateral against Mick in his present, she found some in his future instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Future to Hold

Caitlin scowled around her gag as the imposing figure of her captor reappeared in the warehouse. But Heatwave wasn’t looking at her, instead, his gaze was fixed on the bomb he’d rigged to her chair just two minutes ago. She shrieked uselessly into the rag when he approached, but he just got on his knees and began fiddling with the explosive.

 

“Stop moving,” he ordered, not bothering to look up from what he was doing. It was only then, as her panic made way for curiousity, that she realised he looked different. She couldn’t place it, but there was something about his eyes, the way he was so focused on his task, that seemed to jar with the image of the man who’d been threatening her minutes ago. He was even dressed differently, jeans and a light green jacket instead of the worn firefighter’s gear from before. When he deemed the bomb defused and began tugging at the rope tying her ankles to the chair, she noticed a scar down the side of his nose that had definitely not been there before. When he had finally freed her, she stumbled to her feet, hastily backing away to put as much space between them as she could.

 

“I’m not here to hurt ya,” he assured her, hands raised in front of him in a placating gesture.

 

“Why did you come back?” she asked, not sure what to think about his sudden turn in behaviour and inconsistent appearance. 

 

“I needed you to owe me a favour. Anybody asks, you escaped on your own.”

 

“You kidnapped me, tied me to a bomb, and you think letting me go earns you a favour?” she asked incredulously.

 

“We both know I coulda just left you here to die; so yeah, I do. The next time I ask you for something, remember this.” Without any further explanation, he turned on his heel and left. After a moment to gather her jumbled thoughts, Caitlin trotted outside herself, almost running straight into Cisco and Joe, who’d managed to track her down. She didn’t know why, but when they asked how she got away, she chose to mutter something about frayed rope and poorly tied knots. She kept the knowledge saviour, a Mick Rory who was somehow both the man who had kidnapped her and not, to herself, a mystery to puzzle over in idle hours.

* * *

“I’m sorry, she was on the Pilgrim’s ship with the others,” Kendra explained in the face of Rip’s confused look. The little girl in blue pajamas clutching her hand watched silently, a decidedly unhappy look on her tear-stained face. “I couldn’t just leave her there.”

 

“I understand, Ms Saunders, but this is a complication none the less. Gideon, who is sh-?” Rip was cut off by the toddler suddenly tearing across the bridge, her auburn curls flying behind her as she let out a deafening shriek.

 

“DAAAAAADDDYYYYYYYY!” 

 

Mick Rory looked down in shell-shocked horror at the child wrapping her tiny arms around his legs.

 

“Her name is Ember Lenora Rory. She is currently three years old and she is the eldest daughter of Mr Rory and-”

 

“Enough, Gideon!” Rip interrupted loudly. “Let us not do anything that could potentially negate the young Miss Rory’s existence.” Mick was ignoring them, just staring down at the little girl clutching him. Fresh tears were running down her face, and he slowly and cautiously knelt down to her level. The moment he was low enough, she threw herself into his arms.

 

“I did what you said, Daddy,” she hiccuped around her sobs. “I was brave and I screamed reeeeaaally loud when she grabbed me and I kicked the bad lady really hard!” she announced vehemently. Mick didn’t know when the soft, wonder-filled smile had appeared on his lips. He stood, her tiny, fragile body safe in his arms, her little face hidden in his chest.

 

“I’ll bet you did,” he rumbled, rocking her gently and rubbing soothing circles on her back. “Bet you made her life hell.” He looked up to see the stunned faces of the rest of the crew, most of whom had come looking for the source of the shriek. “What?” he snapped, scowling at them. Rip cleared his throat.

 

“It would appear that, when the Pilgrim couldn’t find any collateral in Mr Rory’s present, she elected to take some from his future.” The captain looked deeply disturbed by this tactic.

 

“Aww, she’s so cute,” Sara gushed as she approached, undeterred by Mick’s scowl. “Hey there, sweetheart.”

 

“Auntie Sara! I kicked the lady just like you showed me! Wha-bam!” The toddler kicked out one leg in emphasis, making Mick grunt as her foot connected with his stomach.

 

“Aw, you’re a little fighter. Way to go!” Both the assassin and the blonde giggled as they high-fived.

 

“And her middle name is Lenora,” Kendra couldn’t resist informing the rest of them, giving Leonard a pointed look, grinning when she saw the light dust of pink on the startled thief’s cheeks.

 

“Never figured you for a family man,” Ray commented, a goofy smile on his face as he watched the little girl interact with Sara.

 

“I ain’t,” Mick rumbled. He looked to Rip. “We gotta get her home.” Home, back to her family, with a father who knew and loved her. 

 

“Daddy?” Ember asked. “Where’s Mommy?”

 

“At home,” Mick answered without missing a beat, surprising himself. He looked down into big blue eyes, eerily like his own save for the flecks of green near the centre. “Don’t worry, Princess, we’ll get you there soon.”

 

“That would be inadvisable,” Rip interjected, paling a little at the look Mick fixed him with. “It would be best if we placed her with the others at the Refuge until we can be sure of her safety.”

 

“No.”

 

“Mr Rory-”

 

“I ain’t leaving her in the Time Master factory,” Mick growled menacingly, managing to still look threatening while cradling a toddler. “We’ll leave her with someone they’d never associate with me. She’ll be safe.”

 

Reluctantly, Rip nodded.

* * *

Caitlin wasn’t sure what she expected on the other side of her front door, but Mick Rory was definitely not it. She froze instinctively at the sight, taking an unconscious step back. As her brain kicked into gear, certain details jumped out at her. The scar by his nose, his very familiar outfit. The way his eyes were tired and wary rather than manic. This wasn’t the man who’d kidnapped her, this was the man who’d set her free.

 

“You’re here to collect.” It wasn’t much of a greeting, but she felt the need to get straight to the point.

 

“Yeah,” he answered simply. “I need you to babysit.”

 

“I’m sorry, you want me to what?” She blinked stupidly at him, thrown. At a gesture from Mick, Jax stepped out from around the corner, a sleeping toddler in his arms.

 

‘Hey, Caitlin,” he whispered, smoothly passing her his burden. The little girl fidgeted for a moment in Caitlin’s stiff hold, then settled.

 

“Where did this child come from?” Caitlin demanded in a stern whisper.

 

“The future. Needed someone to watch her ‘til it’s safe to take her home. And you owe me a favour,” Mick reminded her.

 

“Her name’s Ember,” Jax informed her, shooting Mick a look and suppressing a snicker. Mick ignored him.

 

“I really don’t know anything about kids,” Caitlin pointed out helplessly. 

 

“Just watch her, make sure she doesn’t eat dirt or somethin’. You’re a doctor, you’ll be fine,” Mick shrugged. His eyes fell to the sleeping form she held, and Caitlin watched in the wonder at the heartbreaking look that entered his eyes; an odd mix of fierce protectiveness, wistful longing and mind-numbing fear. “We’ll be back by tomorrow at the latest.”

 

With one last look at the little girl, he turned and strode off. Jax followed him with a cheery wave. Caitlin looked down at the toddler, feeling lost. Her own auburn curls fell over her shoulder and she noted absently that their hair was the same shade. 

 

A little dazed, she shut the door, wondering what the hell she was going to do with this child. In the end, she laid her on the couch, tucked her under a throw blanket and went back to the task of cooking dinner, now cooking for two. Ember was still sleeping by the time she was done, so she made her up a plate and set it to the side for when she woke up. Sitting on the couch next to the sleeping girl, Caitlin selected an old disney movie on Netflix, keeping the volume low. About halfway through, she felt movement at her side and looked down to find Ember drowsily clamboring into her lap.

 

“Oh. Hello, sweetie.”

 

“I missed you, Mommy.”

 

Caitlin froze. “Sorry, sweetie, I’m not your mommy.” The toddler peered up at her.

 

“Don’t be silly, Mommy, of course you are!” Ember laughed, seeming to think it was a game. Caitlin was about to repeat herself, but stopped. Ember was smiling up at her, with hair the same shade as hers and an adorable button nose that Caitlin had seen in every photograph of herself from her childhood. She thought about what Mick had said, how Ember was from the future and they thought she’d be safe with Caitlin. It all clicked into place in her head.

 

“Oh, that son of a bitch,” she swore.

 

“You said a bad word.” Who knew a toddler was capable of sounding that disappointed in you?

* * *

The Waverider returned to the next morning to pick up Ember. It was late morning, so Mick weren’t entirely surprised to find no one was home at Caitlin’s apartment and simply headed over to STARlabs. Rip insisted on accompanying him, as did Jax, who really just wanted to say hi to Team Flash. Caitlin was waiting for them in the cortex when they arrived and she did not look happy.

 

“Did you seriously go back into time to save me from yourself just so I’d agree to babysit my own daughter?” she hissed. “What kind of person do you think I am?”

 

Mick stood in stunned silence for a moment, pinned by her glare. “Uh, something like that,” he grunted finally. His eyes looked her up and down, like he was really seeing her for the first time.

 

“Did you know Dr Snow was the mother all along?” Rip demanded, looking peeved.

 

“Nope.”

 

“Wait, you didn’t know?” Caitlin asked, frowning. A child’s exuberant squeal cut the air.

 

“Mommy! Mommy, look what Uncle ‘Sco made me!” Ember cried as she wheeled into the room on what looked like a little motorised tricycle. She stopped when she entered, wide eyes falling on the new arrivals. “Daddy!” she shrieked, abandoning her vehicle to run up to her father.

 

“Daddy?” Caitlin asked in a choked gasp. Mick pointedly didn’t look at her, all his attention on Ember. Jax was looking at Caitlin like he’d never seen her before.

 

“Ready to go home, Princess?” Mick asked, kneeling in front of the excited toddler.

 

“Can I take my buggy? Pretty please?” Ember asked, eyes as big and imploring as she could make them. “Uncle ‘Sco made it for me.”

 

“Aw yeah, favourite uncle and she ain’t even born yet!” Cisco crowed as he rounded the corner, grinding to a halt at the sight of the new arrivals. “Hey Jax, interesting friends you got there.”

 

“Uh, yeah,” Jax stuttered, shaking himself out of his stupor. “This is our captain, Rip Hunter, and I think you know Mick.”

 

“You built that thing?” Mick interrupted, frowning at the tricycle from where he was still kneeling in front of Ember.

 

“Uh, yeah,” Cisco answered slowly, apparently finding the situation somewhat surreal.

 

“It safe?” Mick asked, a little menacing.

 

“First of all, rude, I would never let my future niece near dangerous tech. Second of all, wha-holy crap her name is  _ Ember _ how did I not realise ‘til now!” He stared at Caitlin in horror. “ _ Caitlin! _ ” he gasped, sounding utterly scandalised.

 

“Don’t look at me, I don’t know how this happens!” she exclaimed, shrugging helplessly. Ember, apparently, had observed her father’s interrogation regarding the buggy and decided to switch tactics.

 

“Please can I keep the buggy, Mommy?”

 

“Um…” Caitlin floundered for a moment, her eyes finding Mick’s in an unexpected instant of silent communication. “Uncle Cisco still has some bits he needs to tweak, we’ll just keep it here for a few days and then you can have it, ok?”

 

“Oh yeah, I need to give it a reverse gear and, uh, definitely a lot more safety features,” Cisco redirected quickly in the face of Mick’s glare.

 

“OK,” Ember accepted with a noticeable pout.

 

“Alright, Princess, say goodbye. We’re going now.”

 

Ember happily followed Mick’s directive, giving Cisco a tight hug before running into her mother’s arms. 

 

“Bye bye Mommy.” The toddler gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek.

 

“I’ll miss you Emmy,” Caitlin managed to get out through the sudden lump in her throat. “I’ll see you again soon.” Wordlessly, Mick took Ember into his arms, not meeting Caitlin’s eyes. She put a hand on his arm to stop him, forcing him to look at her. “She’ll be ok? It’s safe?” she asked softly. Mick nodded, his face unreadable. Caitlin nodded back and let go, joining Cisco in farewelling Jax and waving goodbye to Ember. Once they’d left, Caitlin wiped the moisture from her eyes.

 

“So…” Cisco said awkwardly.

 

“We’re not talking about it,” Caitlin stated firmly. “I have already had the weirdest day, let’s save the awkward conversation about my future life choices.”

 

“Fair enough. Tomorrow it is.”

* * *

“Mr Rory, I must advise against this. If nothing else, encountering your future self will greatly confuse your daughter!”

 

“If I’m in that house I won’t be dumb enough to be the one answering the door,” Mick countered, already striding up the path. Rip muttered some choice curses under his breath but didn’t attempt to intercede further. Mick adjusted his hold on Ember, making her giggle. He smiled, bouncing her up and down on purpose, sending her into a fit of laughter. The sound was loud enough to be heard inside the house, as the door was opening before he could knock.

 

“Emmy!” Caitlin exclaimed in relief. Mick handed the little girl into her mother’s waiting arms. “Emmy, I missed you so much!”

 

“Mommy, you just saw me,” Ember giggled in the face of her mother’s exuberant greeting. Caitlin smirked.

 

“Well, for Mommy that feels like it was years ago. Why don’t you run inside now, Uncle Cisco has a present for you.”

 

“My buggy!” she squealed happily as she ran inside. Mick tried to make sense of the sudden aching lose he felt. Ember was home, in a nice house with a family that knew and loved her. He wasn’t letting her go, he would have her back in a few years. He met Caitlin’s eyes, noting the warm understanding in her sweet smile.

 

“You’re wondering how we get here, aren’t you?” Her hair was different, the lines on her face a shade deeper, but otherwise she was the same Caitlin he’d just left. Except for that smile. She’d never smiled at him like that.

 

“Something like that,” he admitted softly.

 

“Well, you don’t have the easiest road ahead of you, I can tell you that much,” she said with a wry smirk. “You’ve both been through a lot. Maybe, if you talk to her, you’ll find she understands more than you think. Just…” She paused, placing one delicate hand on his shoulder. “Be honest. That’s all she’ll ever ask of you.” She got on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. “See you in a few years.” With that farewell and promise, she went back inside, leaving Mick to ponder her advice as he headed back down the path.

 

For the second time in as many days, a heavy knock brought Caitlin to her front door. This time, she looked through the peephole first. She paused with her hand on the door handle, debating whether or not to let him in. In the end, curiosity, and something that felt suspiciously like hope, had her tentatively unlocking the door.

 

“Hey,” Mick began awkwardly, fidgeting in a manner not unlike a nervous teenager. “I, ah...wanted to talk. If that’s ok?”

  
“Yeah. I think I’d like that.”

**Author's Note:**

> At first I had no idea what to do for this prompt, and then two ideas combined into this. Please ignore any potential time paradoxes.


End file.
